Greetings! It’s been an exciting week. I had the privilege and honor of speaking at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. As an alumnus, it felt great to come back to where I received my undergraduate degree and my Master’s. A former English professor, Dr. Joanne Gates, invited me. I was able to speak to an audience of undergraduate and graduate students as well as members of the community. She had a reception for me afterwards. This was all in celebration of the release of Beowulf: The Midgard Epic. I wrote it while attending the university, and Dr. Gates played a critical role in its development. I was able to sell books, signing them in the process. The next day I was able to lecture her early British/ Irish Literature class. They had an assignment to compare my version of “Beowulf” with J. R. R. Tolkien’ recently published version. Considering he has always been one of my greatest influences, so this was quite an exciting experience. We spoke about Stitched Smile Publications and other authors there. We also got deep into myths and legends. I’m going to share some of the pictures with you. In the process of speaking, I received notification that I’m getting a table at the Alabama Poetry Society’s annual conference. It’s definitely been a great year so far!
James Matthew Byers resides in Wellington, Alabama with his wife, kids, a dog named after an elf, and two tortoises. He has been published in poetry journals and through Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL, where he received his Master’s in 2010. His epic poem, Beowulf: The Midgard Epic, is out now from Stitched Smile Publications, LLC in both Kindle and special edition paperback. James designed and illustrated the cover and interior art for his debut novel at SSP, where he works as an in house illustrator. He also has a short story featured in their latest release, Unleashed: Monsters Vs. Zombies. James has recently won three Prose Challenges at http://www.theprose.com. His poems, “More Gravy,” “The Raven Redux,” and “Nativity Nuance” all took first place. His poem, “The Dinner Fly,” will be published in “Weirdbook Magazine” #35. He continues to write prolifically, supporting anyone who wishes to place their hammering fingers to the keyboard anvil, becoming a polished wordsmith in the process.
Find James Matthew Byers at:
Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/MattByers40
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Mattbyers40/
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/JamesMatthewByers
Wordpress: http://jamesmatthewbyers.wordpress.com
Prose: https://theprose.com/JamesMByers
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